Defense Picks It Up In Day 17 Of Tulane Football's Preseason Practice

Turnovers and big hits highlight Monday's single practice; Green Wave to hold final two-a-day on Tuesday

NEW ORLEANS, La.-The sky was gray and a cool wind was blowing, but the Green Wave defense was red hot as the unit had several big hits and forced a handful of turnovers as the Tulane University football team wrapped up Day 17 of preseason drills Monday afternoon at the Westfeldt Practice Facility.

New head coach Bob Toledo shortened the first 16 periods of Monday's 24-period practice from five to four minutes in an attempt to pick up the pace a little, and the defense responded as defensive backs Joe Goosby, Josh Lumar and David Skehan all had interceptions.

"The thing about the defense that I like was they were running around and playing hard, and they had a bunch of turnovers today," Toledo said. "As a head coach, you don't like that for the offense, but I was really pleased with the defense. A lot of guys made some plays and I think they're starting to understand some of the defensive schemes that Coach Kaumeyer is presenting to them. They're reacting really well."

Eight starters and 24 lettermen return from the 2006 defense, including senior defensive linemen Antonio Harris, Frank Morton and Avery Williams. The Green Wave also return five linebackers - James Dillard, Jordan Ellis, Evan Lee, James McMurchy and Cody Sparks - who have started at least one game last season, as well as the safety tandem of Goosby and Skehan. Tulane will have to replace both of its cornerbacks with the graduation of Israel Route and Jeremy Foreman, but are not without the tools to do so as Lumar, Carlis Jackson, Matt Harding, and Alex Wacha have all run with the No. 1 unit at various points in practice.

In running drills, the combination of the defensive line, inside linebackers and safeties wreaked havoc on the offense as the unit had several stops behind the line of scrimmage and made a handful of plays in pursuit. The secondary was up to the challenge in 7-on-7 drills as well as team drills, as evidenced by the three picks.

When asked if he thought the student-athletes on his team had what it took to make the defense a strong point of the 2007 Green Wave team, Toledo stated simply, "We're going to find out." He was also quick to add that the offense may play a bigger factor in the defense's performance simply by holding on to the ball.

"The defense is doing really well, and hopefully the offense will help them out by running the ball a little bit, sustaining drives and using some of the clock so they're not on the field all the time," Toledo said. "When you're out there on the field playing a lot of plays, you become vulnerable. The job of the offense is to keep the ball and let our defense stay on the sideline. And when the defense is out there, they've got to go three-and-out. They've got to get off the field. That's what we've been preaching to them."

Tulane returns to practice on Tuesday, Aug. 28, when the team holds its final two-a-day practice of the preseason. The Green Wave will hit the field for an 18-period practice at 9:30 a.m. and will retake the field for a 24-period practice at 3:35 p.m. Classes begin at Tulane on Wednesday, when Green Wave celebrate Fan Day their 2:50 p.m. practice.

The Green Wave open the 2007 season on Saturday, Sept. 8, when Tulane takes on Mississippi State at 6 p.m. in the Louisiana Superdome. Season tickets remain on sale through the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office. For ticket information, visit the ticket office on the first floor of the James W. Wilson, Jr. Center, by phone at 504-861-WAVE or on-line at www.TulaneGreenWave.com.

PARENTON HONORED: Green Wave junior offensive lineman Michael Parenton was recognized as one of the nation's top players as he was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List on Monday. A native of Thibodaux, La., and a 2004 graduate of E.D. White High, Parenton has stared 22 of 23 games during his career along the offensive line. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman Honors in 2005 after starting all 11 games at right guard, and started 11 games last season at center. Parenton is currently penciled in as the Green Wave's starting right guard for the 2007 season.

Parenton is one of 108 linemen among NCAA Division I-A programs nominated for the award, which is presented to the nation's top lineman in college football and benefiting the American Cancer Society annually by Wachovia. He is one of 10 C-USA student-athletes to make the initial watch list, joining Jeff Akeroyd (OL, Houston), Chris Clark (OL, Southern Miss), Neslon Coleman (LB, Tulsa), Robert Henderson (DL, Southern Miss), Bobby Heos (OL, Rice), Phillip Hunt (LB, Houston), Doug Legusky (OL, Marshall) and Shawn Nelson (TE, Southern Miss). Parenton is also joined on the watch list by Louisianians Adam Hill (C, Louisiana-Monroe), Kyle Cunningham (OL, Louisiana-Monroe) and Glenn Dorsey (DL, LSU).